


High Strung

by merrysophiatrash



Series: A Son, A Father, and a Lot of Confused People [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Fluff, Gen, Iron Dad, It's a little deep at first but it will be Avengers Fluff eventually, Parent Tony Stark, Peter is salty at the Avengers for the way they treated Tony, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, at first, spider son
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-23 04:37:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15598443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merrysophiatrash/pseuds/merrysophiatrash
Summary: Thanos was dead. The Infinity Stones were destroyed.But that's not all that matters.-=+=-Or, Peter and Tony move forwards on the path to forgiving the Rogues and building their little messed up family, after Civil War and Infinity War. They come to terms with some things, cope with some things. A few secrets and a sudden realization later, they're still fine.





	1. Anger

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't super relevant, but this is a prequel to the rest of them in this series, it should flow, but it can definitely be read as a standalone if you don't want to read the other ones. Just know that Aunt May is dead and Peter lives with Tony, and you're good to go.

Thanos was dead. The Infinity Stones were destroyed. Peter supposed that was important to note.

But that’s not all that matters.

The Rogues were officially pardoned by the state, something about how ‘the US Government has come to the conclusion that their services to the country outweigh their disservices’.

Yeah. And they completely saved the entire universe, getting killed and losing lots along the way.

But they had conditions. The Rogues had to stay under supervision from the Avengers and were only allowed outside for missions. The were confined to the Tower, which Tony had decided against selling. Moving day back went a lot smoother. No crazy bird themed villains ruining the day.

And so, just days after his Aunt had died, only a month after everyone had resurrected, Peter Parker found himself stuck in a tower without Mr. Stark, trying to hide from Rogers and Barnes and Wilson and Maximoff and Barton and everyone else. He was fairly certain nobody knew he was there. Mr. Stark had said that he hadn’t told anyone.

He didn’t leave his floor. Tony’s floor. He had a kitchen, and anything it didn’t have could be brought up by FRIDAY, who Peter was still in the process of getting used to. Well, he knew FRIDAY, he was used to her in battles and stuff, she was just like Karen. But having her everywhere was a little unsettling.

Mr. Stark was in DC, getting the Accords jump started so that they may one day be perfect. So was Pepper. Every other Avenger, Rogue or not, was sitting in the 14 floors below him that were designated living space. As long as he didn’t go down there, he didn’t have to interact with them and he could grieve and deal with his nightmares alone in the Penthouse, tinkering in Mr. Stark’s lab and not going to school.

Little did he know that Bruce Banner had access to everywhere.

He was in the lab. Working on a beat up Mustang Tony was having them fix to distract them from everything. Peter could see the way Tony looked at Steve. The fear, the uncertainty. He had told him what Steve had done. What all of them had done. The Peter that fell down the stairs in awe of Captain America was gone. He wouldn’t be able to look him in the eye. The Mustang gave them both something to think about. One minute, he was bent over the car, the next he was being dragged by the ear to the elevator. He couldn’t even see who it was. The doors opened, FRIDAY calling out the floor. Peter realized he was in the Avengers common room.

“I went upstairs to get a part, and there was a kid in Tony’s lab. What am I supposed to do?” Peter finally looked over at his captor, who happened to be Dr. Bruce Banner. He was shell shocked. Around the barren room sat Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, and Steve Rogers. He could practically feel his heart rate elevating. Hewasgoingtohavetofacehim, hewasgoingtohavetolookathim, hecouldn’t, _hecouldn’t_.

The Black Widow stood up. “A kid?” She sauntered over to him, and Peter could feel his heart pumping out of his chest. “How could a kid manage to hack into the Towe-” The TV screen turned itself on, showing Tony Stark Calling. It was replaced with a picture of Tony in the backseat of a car.

“What’s up, kid, your heart rates are off the charts, what happened?” He took a look around the room. “You’re in the _common room?_ I didn’t think you’d be ready for that, are you good?” Peter, who was still being held by Bruce, managed to squeak out a “no” And suddenly Tony was yelling. 

“Oh my god Banner. Leave the kid alone! He was minding his own business and you dragged him down to the Avengers Floor? What is wrong with you, leave him be! He was just-” Steve Rogers made his way into frame.

“In Bruce’s defense, Tony, there was just an unknown kid in your lab. He didn’t know what to do. Who’s the kid anyway?” Tony went pale. 

“He’s an intern, is what he is. He has authorization to be anywhere I would be, I have to go” He ended the call, groans of frustration echoing around the room. Clint slammed his hand down on the bar.

“Why is he so weird? He made mistakes too, he needs to learn to forgive and forget. He’s making this integration back home super awkward.” Peter could feel the rage burning behind his eyes.

“Weird?” He asked calmly, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. “You think he’s being weird?” They nodded, and Peter scoffed.

“He’s not weird, he’s terrified. He’s so scared of you.” Clint looked offended. “He’s _afraid_ of us? Yeah, right kid.” Peter could feel his face going red.

“You think I’m wrong? Okay. Let’s play a game. I’m Tony Stark and I’m trying to sign and fix these Accords and be generally accommodating for everyone. My closest and most trusted friends decided that they don’t agree with me, and decide to rebel, leaving me massive trouble with the government. The few people I trust in this world completely abandon me. The people who I care about most in the world, so much so that my worst nightmare is losing them, leave me. They couldn’t even humor me with improving the Accords for one second, and instead decide to fight me in a costly fight at an airport. I feel _betrayed_. And that’s not all. After that fight, my _best friend_ meets me in Siberia. He nearly kills me. And he leaves me to die in the freezing cold.” Peter’s voice started to break, and he could see the Avengers besides Steve’s eyes widening. “You didn’t tell them that, Mr. Golden Boy, now did you? That you almost did it? But let’s continue. I go on to fight a space war, forced to trust these people who not long before, rallied behind someone who was willingly going to murder me. My best friends, turned to strangers. I lose _everything_ in the war. My teammates, my relationship with my fiance, everything I’ve ever cared about.” He didn’t mention his death, that was too much to handle at this moment. “The war is over, I think I’m finally done, I’ll get to have my wedding, stay at home, fight crime. Instead, I gain responsibility for keeping the people who betrayed my trust and my friendship in my house, for making sure they're fed, for taking care of them. Otherwise, they won’t be allowed in the country.” Their eyes widened more. “And because I still care so much about them, despite the ways they’ve wronged me, I do it. Even for the person that murdered my parents. Even for my best friend who left me to die. Even for my friend who I wronged, and gave everything trying to right those wrongs, but she betrayed me anyway, too, despite my efforts. I’m letting all of these people into my house because I believe they deserve a second shot, even though I have no obligation nor reason to. Everyone would understand if I never spoke to them again. On top of that, I have a wedding to plan, a kid to take care of, the Accords, which you still have to sign, to perfect, a way to get the person who killed my parents pardoned, a company to run, and a world to clean up.” He started backing away towards the elevator, getting in.

“And tell me, Mr. Barton, _now am I allowed to be scared of you?_ ” And the doors closed.

And he was gone.

Natasha turned to Steve, hurt in her eyes.

“Steve, is that true? Were you really gonna…” Steve looked up at her, and she didn’t need an answer. And she walked away.

Clint didn’t say anything, just walked towards the stairs, and Doctor Banner gave him a sad look, and pressed the elevator button, going to his own floor.

And Steve Rogers was alone.


	2. Clint Barton

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter decides that maybe a certain bird deserves forgiveness. But not anyone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for my complete failure to update, schools starting soon and it actually makes me wanna blow my brains out. Send me requests, whether or not they're in this universe, I need to distract myself

News about Peter’s arrival spread like wildfire. Every single Avenger, whether or not they were living in the tower, knew about Peter.

But it wasn’t like they could see him. Or even ask about him.

Because he and Tony never came downstairs, and they weren’t allowed upstairs, except Bruce, who, for the longest time, was unwilling to use his security clearance to invade their privacy.

But that was before three weeks went by without him seeing Tony anywhere except the news.

And so he broke his own rule, and went up to the penthouse, hoping to catch them under the excuse that he needed a part, and just casually invite them downstairs for a movie or something with the team.

He didn’t mean to eavesdrop.

He really didn’t.

“-It isn’t fair, everyone leaves me! Mom and dad left, Uncle Ben got shot, May got Cancer, and you’re a damn superhero! Every day you could leave, and then I’ll have no one!” He silently opened the door of Tony’s lab to the kids voice. He was sobbing.

“Mr. Stark, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but you really should just put me in the system because if I lose you, I’ll go anyway, and I can’t do that again!” Bruce turned the corner to Tony sitting on the couch, the kids head buried in his shoulder. “I can’t.” He cut himself off with a sob. “I just can’t.” 

Tony looked ready to start crying at any minute, and he was giving the kid a stronger hug than Bruce had seen him give anybody else, even Pepper.

“Peter, I won’t leave you. I promise. You won’t ever be alone, kid, okay? I can’t promise you much, guardianship-wise, but I can promise you that, okay, kid? I will not leave you. Not for good.” 

Peter sobbed harder. “You can’t know that! What if one day you face a villain that even Iron Man can’t stop? What will I do-” 

Tony seemed to get mad, but he kept the same even tone to his voice. “Well, if there’s a villain that Iron Man can’t stop, that’s why I have people to help me. I’ve got Bruce, who is helpful on his own, but can also turn into a badass rage monster. I have Rhodey, who is literally military, and can _fly_. I have the most deadly assassin on the planet. I have an actual wizard who can voodoo some stuff for me.” Peter seemed to look better. “But most importantly, Peter, I have you. You are under my care, you’re my kid, and as long as I have you, I can’t die. It’s physically impossible. Because I have you, and Pepper, and Bruce, and Rhodey, and everyone else, keeping me here.” He pulled Peter away from his chest and looked at him. “I’ve made so many mistakes, Peter, with Cap, with Wanda, with the Accords, with losing you, on Titan. But now I know what it’s like to lose you, and I won’t put you through that, okay, Peter? That killed me, and I won’t put that on you. Ever.” Peter sniffled.

“I promise, Peter. And you can stay here and hide for as long as you want, I can tell the others that you’re just doing your job, they don’t have to know about May, they don’t have to know that you’re staying here, all the guardianship stuff is done, they don’t have to know anything, not if you don’t want them to.” Peter nodded, and Bruce felt guilty just standing there, but he figured the two of them needed a pick me up. And so he walked in and feigned oblivion.

“Hey Tony- oh, it’s the kid.” Peter looked up, wiping the tears from his eyes quickly. Not wanting to make him feel bad, he gave him a quick nod and moved on.

“Tony, I need an adapter plug so we can watch some Disney movie Nat has downloaded on her tablet on the TV. I know there’s one in here, do you know where it is?” Tony, too, wiped the tears from his eyes.

“Um, over there,” He pointed. “But you could just buy it.” Bruce shrugged.

“Meh, according to them, ‘it’s more fun this way’.” He paused. “You two look like you could use some happiness right about now. I think we’re watching Hercules, if you wanna join us?” Peter’s eyes lit up, but he looked at Tony like a kicked puppy.

“I’m good, I’ve got some things to work on, but it looks like the kid is dying to go with you. Go get him, tiger, he won’t bite.” But the light had left Peter’s eyes, replaced by hard determination.

“No. I’m moving on, you’re moving on. Come and watch cheesy Disney with me.” He gave Tony a small smile. “It’s time both of us move on.” Tony stared blankly, and sighed.

“God, kid, you’re lucky I like you, come on, I’ll go get blankets, go downstairs with Bruce.” Peter was almost jumping with joy, following Dr. Banner to the elevator. He turned to the Doctor.

“Doctor Banner, sir, it’s so good to actually meet you! I’m such a fan of your work on Gamma Radiation, it’s absolutely brilliant, and the paper you co-published with Mr. Stark on the Arc Reactor is the most incredible thing I’ve ever read, and I can’t believe I’m talking to you and-” 

Banner held up his hand, speaking in the soft, even tone of voice Peter always heard in interviews and things. “Woah, slow down, kid. And thank you. Someone as young as you, reading my journals. That’s quite impressive, I must say. Who are you anyway? Why’s Tony so interested in you? What’s your story?” Peter blushed, then shook his head out of his stupor. The elevator doors slid open, and they walked into the common room where everyone else was waiting. Somehow, Tony had beat them down.

“My name’s Peter. Peter Parker. And I’m nobody, really. Just an intern. Mr. Stark’s sorta like my mentor, I guess. I get to shadow him most places and meetings he goes to, I tinker in the labs, but not much else.” He was lying, and everyone in the room knew it. Tony scoffed.

“Nobody? Brucie, the kid’s a genius. He’s the youngest person to ever win the MIT Science Fair, He’s already learning to code AI, he’s on our level of knowledge when it comes to nanotech, hell, the kid even solves unsolvable math problems. For fun. And most notably, you know the formula I made to get you to de-Hulk, even when the big guy doesn’t want to?” Bruce nodded his head. “All of it came from the brain of this skinny nerd. All I did was send it through FRIDAY to get the right level of each chemical in there. The formula was 100% his idea.” Bruce’s eyes widened, in awe. So did Natasha. And Clint. And Wanda. And Steve, who smiled.

“Well, kid wonder, we’re watching Hercules, a real pleaser amongst our crowd, if you’d like to join us.” Peter resisted the urge to scowl, instead, pressing his mouth into a line and nodding. Tony signaled a ‘cut it out’ motion with his hand, mouthing ‘not your problem’.

He looked around the room at the barren room. Besides the TV, the blankets that Tony had supposedly gotten, the bar, and the barstools, the only thing in it was an antique lamp, that already appeared to be broken. Tony chuckled from behind him.

“Isn’t that just the ugliest looking thing you’ve ever seen?” He looked amused. “Pepper bought it so that the room ‘didn’t look so ugly and barren’. In my opinion, it made it worse. Plus birdbrain here already broke it, so…” Clint looked up from the spot on the floor he’d claimed, wrapped in a blanket.

“Hey, Iron Ass, it wasn’t my fault, Nat pushed me while I was trying to shoot an apple off Sam’s head. We’re lucky the lamp broke and not Sam’s skull.” Peter grinned, despite himself.

“Well, Mr. Hawkeye sir, perhaps that’s why you shouldn’t shoot arrows in the house. Hasn’t your mother ever told you that?” Clint nearly dropped whatever he was holding.

“You sure you’re not Stark’s kid, Peter? You sound exactly like him, with more anxiety and... respect.” Peter blushed bright red.

“Mr. Stark, I think we should check that, make sure that Richard and Mary Parker actually had me and didn’t adopt Tony Stark’s illegitimate child.” Clint sputtered. “Seriously kid, with the sass, I would seriously.” Peter grinned.

For the first time since He had come out of that damn stone, he smiled. Really smiled. Clint wasn't perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. His wasn't nearly a betrayal compared to Wanda's. Or Steve's. And so he could make an exception. Little did he know that Clint Barton _knew_ his story, down to the punctuation. He knew that even if he wasn’t actually Tony’s kid, he was Tony’s kid.

He was the first one to really figure Peter out, before he knew him, before Banner had figured out what to make of the conversation he'd heard, before Natasha or Cap could snoop. Because he was a father, too. He knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a tumblr and a twitter if you wanna check that out. My tumblr is peaceforthepeopleoftheworld and my twitter is merrysophiatras if you wanna check me out, it's literal garbage, but some people like trash
> 
>  
> 
> Also side note the strangest feeling is looking for fics and finding your own, because I simultaneously feel minorly embarrassed that people have found it and proud that people have liked it so it ends up kind of ??????

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was a request from seventeenthcircleofhell and I was 10/10 planning on writing something else but the idea grabbed me and didn't let go. This was also supposed to be 1000 to 2000 words tops, but this is definitely going to be its own multichapter fic, tied in with what I was already going to do with this sort of concept, so thanks a bunch for the request. Hope I'm doing it justice. I am going to make a ficlet book, though, if you want to send in ideas.


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